No. 1 – Steve Atwater
Draft: 1989 (20th overall, Denver Broncos)
Broncos career: 1989-98 (155 games)
Pro Bowl: Eight (1989, ’90, ’91, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’98
Super Bowls: XXIV, XXXII, XXXIII
Before there was Antonio Brown’s mega-watt smile, there was Steve Atwater, nicknamed the Smiling Assassin.
Atwater was not only the greatest safety to ever play in orange and blue, he’s one of the greatest Broncos of all time, period. His 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist status could tell you that by itself, but he has a plethora of other attributes to talk about.
As a safety, injuries are usually a constant, but Atwater missed a mere five games in 10 seasons in Denver, and it sure wasn’t because he took it easy.
Atwater and Dennis Smith were the fiercest safety tandem of their time. Atwater’s hit on a Monday Night game in 1990 is still one of the greatest and most famous tackles in Broncos history.
At 6-foot-3, Atwater was giant for a safety, but it didn’t stop him from being agile and quicker than his opponents. He posted 1,038 tackles, 24 interceptions and five sacks during his tenure.
His defensive prowess was huge in Denver’s Super Bowl bids, and especially in their back-to-back victories. Atwater earned eight Pro Bowl trips and was a three-time All Pro.
Besides that, he is a family man and a darn good guy. Just ask Broncos safety Bradley Roby, who played with Atwater’s son in high school.
“That’s my best friend, Lil’ Steve,” Roby said. “His dad, Mr. Steve, had a great family atmosphere. He had four kids and a big ol’ mansion. I always loved to go over there. They made me feel like part of the family, and Mr. Steve would always welcome me.”
Outstanding player and all around class act. That earns Atwater the number one spot on this list.
